Power and position often make a man trifle with the truth.

George A. Smith, elder statesman and preacher of the soul, warned with solemn weight: “Power and position often make a man trifle with the truth.” In this saying he lays bare one of the great temptations of humanity—that when men ascend to power or gain lofty position, they are tempted to bend or conceal truth for their own advantage. Authority grants them the means, pride gives them the motive, and so truth, which should be their crown, becomes instead a tool to be twisted.

The danger is clear: power without humility makes men believe they are beyond accountability. A simple man has little reason to distort the truth, for his life is plain and his reach small. But the man in position, with influence and reputation to guard, finds himself tempted to trifle with truth—to soften it, to disguise it, or to bury it beneath words that serve his ambition. Thus, what should be the foundation of leadership becomes the first sacrifice at the altar of pride.

History provides countless lessons. Consider Richard Nixon, whose high office was undone by his willingness to distort and conceal the truth. His power and position could not protect him once the truth came to light, and his fall serves as a warning that even the strongest throne crumbles when built on lies. The Watergate scandal remains a testament to Smith’s wisdom: power may tempt men to trifle with truth, but truth, once betrayed, is merciless in its judgment.

Yet contrast this with the figure of George Washington, who in the infancy of a fragile nation placed truth above ambition. Offered kingship, he refused; tempted by endless power, he laid it down. His greatness endures precisely because he did not trifle with truth, but honored it, even when it cost him comfort or glory. Here we see that while power and position tempt many, the truly great resist.

O children of tomorrow, engrave this lesson upon your hearts: truth is more precious than power, more enduring than position. To betray it, even slightly, is to lay an axe to the root of your own greatness. Guard it as your highest treasure, for while power fades and position crumbles, truth alone shines unbroken. Remember Smith’s words: the man who trifles with truth for the sake of power has already lost the very thing that could have made his power just.